pursue your dreams: maddie of madalynne
Pursue Your Dreams is a weekly mini-series brought to you by a handful of talented handmade artists, bloggers, small business owners, and ladies who are chasing hard after their dreams. The series focuses on 3 insights they've learned about staying inspired, dealing with negativity, business tips, blogging, setting goals, marketing yourself, and more!
Hi, my name is Maddie Flanigan and I am the blogger behind
, the cool sewing and pattern making blog. If Steve McQueen was the ‘King of Cool,” then Madalynne is the “Queen of Cool.” My blog covers everything from
to
and what projects I’m currently working on. For two and a half years, my day job was in the technical design department for a
in Philadelphia and about a year ago, this company took note of my personal blog and asked me to start an intranet blog that would create a cohesive voice for all their brands. Sweet, right? I consider myself one lucky gal to be able to do what I love both day and night (blog and sew), not to mention I receive a stellar discount off some really fancy clothes!
I came across Jenny’s blog about 2 years ago, and since then, I have always loved her personal touches. From her fashion to her blog layout, there is an intimacy that I don’t find on many blogs. I’m excited for her as she begins a new role – motherhood. Good luck, Jenny!
1 // Staying inspired
Do only what you love. It’s really that simple. Someone asked me if I have trouble coming up with new story or post ideas and my answer was no. Never. In the two years that I’ve been a sewing blogger I’ve was a fashion blogger for 4 years prior to that), I haven’t missed a posting. That’s because I’m constantly sewing and each project I undertake brings a host of researching, obstacles, trials, and tribulations, all of which make for good blog post. Example? On my most recent project,
, I learned a ton about
, or making sure fabric is on grain before cutting. If you love what you do, you’ll always be inspired.
2 // Goal Setting
You can say that I’m too organized, but I have a blog calendar that is always scheduled 2 months in advance. In it, I write not only my to-do’s, but also my weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. One of the problems I have with New Year’s resolutions is that you write down what you want to achieve at the beginning of the year and never look at it again. I’m constantly shuffling my calendar around, which means I’m constantly reminded of the direction I want to head. This pushes me to stay on top of things and ensures that I’m taking the right steps to get from point A to point B.
3 // Taking Risks
My motto is shoot for the stars because you’ll probably land on the moon. I recently finished my first
, which will be a compilation of interviews, pattern making tutorials, and commentary on the sewing world. I started it about a year and a half ago and when I went into it, I knew nothing about publishing. Nothing! I’m taking a big risk with this project; the usual course of action of sewing bloggers is to launch a pattern line but you know what? That’s not me. At least it isn’t right now. My goal is for the book to be sold in stores like Anthropologie or Barnes & Nobles. Will I achieve that? I don’t know, but I’m going to take the risk.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us, Maddie! Be sure to visit her
if you haven't already and join us next week for more inspirational insights. :)